Competitive swimming is a sport in which "the need to succeed" is stressed and the desire to reach the optimal level of performance--physically, emotionally, and nutritionally is strong. This research sought to investigate whether there were differences in nutrient intakes, percent body fat, and body image between male and female swimmers and their non-athletic counterparts at Muncie Central High School in Muncie, Indiana.The accessible population for this study included those male and female athletes and non-athletes, ages 14 to 18, who attended Muncie Central High School during the 1989-1990 school year.The data indicated that athletes did not differ from non-athletes while males and females did differ significantly in significant differences in height between athletes and non-athletes, primarily due to the differences in the height of female athletes as males appeared to be similar, but female athletes were one-half inch taller, on the average, than female non-athletes. There were no significant differences between the weights of male between athletes and non-athletes,male non-athletes were and female athletes and non-athletes; however, male athletes were 13 lbs. lighter, on the average, than their male counterparts. There was a significant interaction, in percent body fat, significantly fatter than male athletes. There was a tendency for males to have lower scores on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) than females, suggesting that males were at lower risks for disorders than females.These data suggest that nutrition education programs should be planned to ensure good diets for all students, athletes, and non-athletes. / Department of Home Economics

The purpose of this study was to determine what relationship exists between the degree of an eating disorder or "disordered eating" pattern and athletic performance. The subjects were 30 female collegiate swimmers, between the ages of 18 and 22 years, at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. The subjects completed the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) questionnaire, which assesses several psychological and behavioral traits associated with bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa, and the Bulimia Test-Revised (BULIT-R) questionnaire which measures symptoms of bulimia in adolescents and adults. A performance score was calculated from each swimmer's best event.The results of this study supported the research hypothesis that there would be a negative relationship between the swimming performance of athletes and degree of eating disorder or "disordered eating" pattern as measured by the two questionnaires. "Disordered eating" patterns predicted 20 percent of the variance in athletic performance. / School of Physical Education